zen bears on
their way up the river, they were willing to leave their rifles in
their cases, and spend their time studying the country and poring yet
more over the maps which they were now preparing to show their friends
at home.

XXXI

HOMEWARD BOUND

Arrived at Peace River Landing, the young hunters found everything
quite as Alex said it would be, their belongings perfectly safe and
untouched in the tent where they had left them. Uncle Dick, who now
took charge of the party, agreed with them that it was an excellent
thing to make Alex and Moise presents of the canoes, and to give Moise
the remainder of the supplies which would not be required on their
brief trip to Little Slave Lake by wagon.

At this time the telephone line had been completed from Little Slave
Lake to Peace River Landing, and the factor at the latter post had
sent word for two wagons and teams to come up for these passengers,
outbound. There was little difficulty in throwing their light
equipment, with their many trophies and curiosities, into one of the
wagons, and arranging with the other to carry out the _Jaybird_,
which, a little bit battered but practically unhurt, now continued the
last stage of its somewhat eventful journey over the old Mackenzie
trail--Alex, as may be supposed, watching it with very jealous eye so
that it should get no harm in the long traverse.

Alex was thus to accompany the party for a few days, but Moise, who
lived at the Landing, now must say good-by. This he did still smiling,
though by no means glad to lose the company of his young friends.

"You'll come back some more bimeby," said he. "Any man he'll drink the
water on this river one time, he'll couldn't live no more without once
each year he'll come back an' drink some more on that river! I'll see
you again, an' bimeby you'll get so you'll could carry seex hondred
poun' half a mile an' not set it down. Moise, he'll wait for you."

When they reached the top of the steep hill which rises back of Peace
River Landing, almost a thousand feet above the river which runs
below, they all stopped and looked back, waiting for the wagons to
toil up the slope, and waiting also to take in once more the beauty of
the scene which lay below them. The deep valley, forking here, lay
pronounced in the dark outlines of its forest growth. It still was
morning, and a light mist lay along the surface of the river. In the
distance banks of purple shadows lay, and over all th